Photo Credit: psd (Flickr)
In Luke 17:11-19, Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem and passed between the cities of Samaria and Galilee. As He entered a certain village in the area, He was met by 10 leprous men who stood far from Him and cried out for mercy. The men were far away because it was customary at that time for lepers to live separately from others, because they were unclean.
When Jesus moved closer to where they were, He told them to go see the priests. This would have been very encouraging for them, because under the Law, the priests were the ones who declared lepers clean. So the lepers went, and as they were going to see the priests, they found themselves healed!
In seconds, Jesus had changed their lives. Once they were declared clean, they would no longer be social outcasts. They would be able interact freely with friends and family, and would be restored to fellowship with the rest of their communities. One man, when he saw that he was healed, was so happy he returned and glorified God “with a loud voice.”
The other nine? Not so much.
Jesus noticed their absence, and responded to the one man’s thanksgiving by asking: “where are the nine?” He knew that He had healed 10 men—the exact number. When Jesus told them to go see the priests, it wasn’t because of any disinterest on His part. He didn’t just see a group of men; He saw each one of them. They were sent to the priests because the priests were the ones designated by God to validate their condition, and to help the men to be received back into the community. Jesus was looking out for the men’s best interests when He sent them to the priests.
But only one was thankful enough to return and glorify God.
It is easy for us to see the failings of the nine former lepers who showed no gratitude. Obvious, even. More challenging is to look at our own lives and see where we have not glorified God or recognized His blessings and work in our lives.
Take some time today and thank God for everything He is doing and has done in your life.
God’s Glory: God was glorified by the healing of 10 men (seemingly at the same time) and also by the gratitude of those who were healed—even when that gratitude is loud!
